Press Room

On this page, members of the media can find information about us,
including brief bios and our full vitas. We’ve also included
some statistics about companion animals and injuries caused by them.
Go to Interviews and Articles to see
a list of our recent lectures and media appearances, news releases,
and articles and quotes from us on animal behavior, which you can
use with the stated restrictions. . If you need more information
click here to
leave us an email, call us at 303-932-9095, fax us at 303-932-2298
or write at Animal Behavior Associates, Inc., 4994 South Independence
Way, Littleton, CO 80123.

Fifty-eight percent of all U.S. households owned at least one
pet during 2001.

Sixty percent of all U.S. pet owning households owned more than
one pet during 2001.

Forty-seven percent of all pet owning households considered
their pet a part of the family.

Fifty-one percent of all dog owning households considered the
dog a family member.

Forty-six percent of all cat owning households considered the
cat a family member.

Thirty-six percent of all U.S. households owned at least one
dog, 32 percent owned at least one cat, 5 percent owned at least
one bird and 2 percent owned at least one horse.

The total number of dogs owned in the U.S. in 2001 was estimated
to be 61.6 million.

The total number of cats owned in the U.S. in 2001 was estimated
to be 68.9 million.

The total number of birds owned in the U.S. in 2001 was estimated
to be 10.1 million.

The total number of horses owned in the U.S. in 2001 was estimated
to be 5.1 million.

The mountain states had the highest percentage of households
with pets (62%) while the middle Atlantic states had the fewest
(50%).

The state with the highest percentage of households owning pets
was Idaho (71%) while the lowest was the District of Columbia
(25%).

The number of people bitten by dogs in the U.S. each year is
estimated to be 4.7 million.

The number of people that visit emergency rooms each year as
a result of dog bites is 330,000.

The number of people hospitalized each year as a result of dog
bites is 6,000.

The number of people killed each year as a result of dog bites
is between 15 and 20.

It has been estimated that the total costs of dog bite injuries
each year is between $236 million and $254 million.

It is impossible at present to say with any scientific certainty
whether specific breeds of dogs are more dangerous than others.
This is because 1) there is no uniform reporting of dog bites,
2) identification of dog breeds is not always reliable, 3)
bite rates comparing different breeds must be adjusted by
the numbers of different breeds in the population; at present
we do not have those figures, 4) the frequency of biting by
different breeds has varied over time and 5) labeling a breed
as dangerous oversimplifies the causes of dog bites and ignores
other important factors such as how the dog was socialized,
how he is trained, cared for and managed and the behavior
of the victim.